Chapter 68: The Battle Lines
One year and a half ago…
Ed pressed the wet towel over his face, the cool water was a relief after the sweat had washed over him under the boiling sun. He wished he could stay inside the cool shade of the tent for just a while longer instead of having to face the crowds of businessmen and merchants looking to try an sweet talk him into trying to give them inventions from Amestris to sell.
They're here for Alphonse too…
Edward sighed, he wiped his face with a dry cloth and tied back his hair before putting his eyepatch back on.
"Hey." A voice called out, Ed turned his head to see Eren just out of the mouth of the tent. "You ready?" he asked, pointing with his thumb out towards the small crowd, a wooden platform in the middle.
"Yeah, yeah I'm ready." Ed said as he pressed a loose drop of water into his face.
"Good, Hange and Alphonse are trying to keep them busy for a bit-"
"I got it." Ed interrupted Eren as he walked out of the tent. Now even the mentioning of his name had irritated him. His own brother. Eren looked at the ground before breathing in deeply and exhaling.
Ed walked up to the table and picked up a glass of refreshment; he looked at the glass, the ice floating at the top with the lemon slice placed on its edge. It was one of those fancy alcohol drinks that only those types of people could afford or serve for the business ventures.
Ed tried to quickly gulp it down, hoping that it would help him get through the rest of the day. As he swallowed roughly he caught sight of Hange being swarmed by men in fancy dresses and suits all trying to get her attention while Hange did her best to wriggle away.
Bet you wish you never learned Alchemy huh? He smiled to himself. Alchemy for all its uses and advantages also placed a massive target on your back and Ed knew better than anyone what that left like.
Then as the crowd parted slightly he caught sight of Alphonse. Ed felt his breath stop in his throat and then tighten as the two locked eyes with each other. He felt his body tense and his jaw lock while trying not to grimace.
Alphonse must have felt the same way, his hands closing into a fist before then looking away and going back into the crowd. As Edward too looked away he quickly put down his empty glass and picked up a new one.
"Hey." Eren caught his attention, stopping him from trying to gulp down the drink. "You okay?"
"Yeah I'm good." Ed replied now trying to ignore the dizziness in his head but still trying to enjoy the buzz. "I'm great…"
Eren took the drink from him "I think you had enough."
Ed rolled his eyes as he allowed Eren to take the drink from him, annoyed but he knew that Eren was right.
"You're going to be up on stage soon, last thing you need is to make a fool of yourself." Eren told him.
Ed looked around at the faces of the people attending; every so often he would catch their stares, not the looks of wonders that people use to have for them, instead it was cautious and curious, watching both him and then turning to Alphonse like they were expecting something.
"I don't need to make a fool of myself." Ed said "They're already talking about me anyways…"
Eren sighed "They don't know, keep it that way."
Ed shrugged his shoulders as he sighed, suddenly there was a tap on the microphone catching everyone's attention, to see Flegel Reeves standing on the stage "Welcome, welcome everyone!" he spoke with a wide smile on his face "I'm happy that you all could make it and I'm hoping that you are all enjoying the free drinks because next time I'm making you all pay for it." His joke bringing out a few laughs among the crowd "Anyway I'm happy to see so many familiar faces out here and also all the press here too; we got a special invention to show you all, this one is gonna change how we travel."
Flagel then moved towards the large contraption covered by a plain white tarp, grabbing handfuls of it before pulling it away and tossing it to the floor.
The cameras all flashed as journalists began to scribble down on their notepads and onlooking stared at it. But for Ed it looked like any car he would have seen on a street in cities across of Amestris, he smiled at the reminder of home.
"But I couldn't have done it without the help of our special guests, everyone please a round of applause for the Elric brothers." Just like that everyone made space for them, parting a path for them towards the stage as they clapped their hands and cheered. Now he could see Alphonse more clearly, the two stared at each other for a second before they both walked onto the stage from two different sides. Alphonse waved at the crowd saying his thank you and bowing his head every so often accepting their praise while Ed tried to politely wave at them, he would have made more of an effort before but today? Today he just didn't care.
Let's get this over with.
The two of them then faced each other, smiles on their faces but agitation in their eyes, Ed looked to the microphone at the centre of the stage and gestured to Alphonse to take it.
If you want to stay here then you can talk…
A part of him thought that Alphonse must have read his mind because Alphonse walked towards the centre and took up the mic, a quick glare shot in Ed's direction before he faced the crowd with smiles.
"Thank you! Thank you everyone!" Alphonse said, his voice reverberating around the ground for all to hear. "It is a pleasure to be here and meet you all and an even greater pleasure to speak to you all about the new invention that we had helped develop. Right, Edward?" Ed could hear the anger hidden in his tone.
Ed smiled at the crowd and gave them a thumbs up "Of course!" he yelled out, staying far from the microphone. "Go on, Alphonse!" he waved up the crowd.
Alphonse turned back to the crowd with a muddled smile "We've been proud to introduce the kind of technology that we had in our world and to see how many have benefited from it and every life it has improved.
Ed wanted to scoff, he looked at the faces of those in the crowd; he knew that among them were those who profited off of the weapons he had blueprinted.
How many had benefited from that?
"From electricity to power new inventions and machines to just having heating in homes, it makes me proud we've pushed walled humanity to such a place of progress." Alphonse continued "Which is why I'm- we're excited to introduce to all of you this." He pointed his arms to the large contraption underneath the tarp. Both Hange and Armin grabbed onto the ends of the tarp and pulled it down. The sight of it had garnered a look of awe and confusion among the crowd.
"It looks like a smaller version of the train." One onlooker said.
"Not quite." Alphonse said "This is a car." Ed glanced at the vehicle; the design had been based off of the cars that he and also use to be escorted in back in Central, it looked sleek, clean and official.
Certainly not my style.
"With this, we would reduce our dependence on horses and move people and good much faster and more efficiently, reaching areas which haven't had train tracks linked to them yet." Alphonse explained. "What you're seeing here is the commercial version, but we have developed the blueprints for trucks which are much larger and used for transporting groups of people and equipment.
There were nods of approval among the crowd, Ed looked over to Flegel who tried to hid the elation on his face with a cool expression but that smirk said it all; they were making him and those around him rich in exchange for his factories producing the stuff for discounted prices.
"Can we get a picture of you two near it?" came a question for the crowd, Ed looked down to see a man with a camera, likely a journalist from one of the newspapers covering this sham. He looked over to Alphonse who looked back at him before nodding his head at the direction of the car, as if to say "Lets gets this over with."
They stood in front of it and smiled at each other and then the camera as the man set it up. "Can we have you shaking hands?" he asked. Ed tensed slightly as he raised his hand up, he looked over to Alphonse who looked down at his hand and then back to him, their fake smiles never wearing off.
He reached out and grabbed Ed's hand before applying a tight squeeze.
Ed hid his wince under his smile as he returned the favour.
There was a flash of the camera. "Perfect!" the cameraman said, both of them let go of each other "This is will look great in tomorrow's paper; the Elric brothers, together, bringing further progress to the people of the walls." He said.
Well wouldn't be the first time a paper had published something entirely false.
"Thank you, sirs." He said bowing his head. Ed playful saluted the guy.
He turned away from Alphonse as Al did from him, clenching and unclenching his hand.
"You're not going to ask… are you?" Alphonse said.
"What's there to ask about?" Ed questioned.
"Emmanuel." Alphonse said "He's fine by the way, thank you for asking."
"Tch."
"Stop with the act, brother; I know you care."
"Of course I care." Ed replied "I cared that you did something so stupid, I care that I warned you not to get so damn close and now…" he folded his arms before looking at him "I care about why we came here, I never lost sight of that…"
Alphonse clenched his fists "Don't you dare imply that I don't care." He growled at Ed "I came so much… but I'm also able to care about them to." He said nodded his head towards the crowd of people.
"Enough to abandon your family back home?"
Alphonse shook his head. "You're unbelievable." He said walking away.
Ed rolled his eyes and looked behind him to see Hange and Armin standing and watching, a look of sadness on their faces "Quit watching, this is none of your business." He said to them before walking off stage. As he walked down the stairs he saw Eren, who no doubt also heard the exchange.
"Ed…" he said.
"God not you too." Ed sighed, he wanted to walk past Eren before his arm was grabbed, stopping him from walking past.
"Listen… just…" Eren paused "Just go see him again, go see Emmanuel again." Ed wanted to pull his arm free but Eren's grip was tight "Please Ed… you know you want to see him… just spend time with them. You… you never know if you'll ever get the chance." Ed looked at Eren who stared at the ground, almost looking ashamed. "Don't let this be a regret someday."
Ed yanked his arm free "Don't worry, it won't."
Six months ago…
Erwin stared at the document in front of him, his jaw clenched and his hands clasped together and he breathed in and exhaled slowly, just to remain cool. Yet underneath he was almost furious but more importantly, he was exhausted.
"How long ago was the last incident?" Darius had asked the garrison troop who was briefing them.
"About two months ago, Premier." The Garrison soldier replied. There was a chorus of groans and gasps around the table at the revelation.
"How the hell could something like this happen?" Nil spoke up "I thought our communications lines were water tight?" he looked back at Erwin.
I certainly do not need this.
"They are, they were meant to be." Erwin replied "I had no inkling of traitors or saboteurs within our ranks who would seek to undermine the goals of the regiment or the military at large."
"Whoever they are, they've done immense damage to our efforts for creating a settlement with the nation of Marley." One of the officers had spoken out in fury.
"What message have these intruders been passing along using our lines?" Pixis asked.
The garrison troop swallowed hard and sighed before he opened his mouth "We were able to intercept some of the messages that were being passed along… the contents of some of the letters spoke of retribution… and of a war… against Marley."
The table broke out into a loud and panicked discussion.
"Settle down!" Darius ordered "Settle down!"
"If messages like these have reached Marley then it may already be too late." One of the garrison officers spoke.
"We must begin fortifying our defences, sound the alarm to our allies and prepare for war."
"No, we must launch a pre-emptive strike against Marley first, we can't give them enough time to ready their forces in preparation."
"You fool, we can still salvage this! We must find these saboteurs and continue to send our messages unimpeded this time."
"Enough!" Darius stood up from his seat and slammed his fist against the table. "Now is not the time for panicked actions, we're still in control here damn it, act like it." He placed his hands behind his back "If Marley got those messages then it's also likely they got our previous ones, there will likely be confusion among their leadership of our intentions; Pixis, have the garrison shore up our defences in case of an attack and Nil, hunt down these saboteurs, if there is anyone who is linked to this then I want them in a cell." He then turned to Erwin "And Erwin, keep your men in line, root out any traitors among the ranks and I don't care how high up they are; we are not about to start a damn war and I will not have our men on Marley soil."
Suddenly the door had slammed open as a scout troop burst through, panting as they tried to catch their breath, holding a letter in their hand. "Commanders! Premier!" they exclaimed "Urgent news!"
"What is it?" Darius asked.
"Eren Yeager… we can't find him." Everyone stood up from their seats.
"What?" Nil asked completely dumbfounded.
"He's gone, he was supposed to report back to the capital a few days ago with the others but hadn't, the scout officers have their men searching every district and town across the walls and even the port but they can't find him."
"How the hell do we just loose the coordinate?!" Darius questioned.
"The letter, soldier, is there anything else?" Erwin asked.
The soldier unravelled the letter "It's a copy of the letter he hand left at his house in Shiganshina." The scout took in a deep breath before reading "To whomever reads this, its already too late. You can't stop what we've put into motion. Eldia, its people and allies will be free…" there was a deathly silence pressing down on them all.
"Eren Yeager… he was one of the traitors?" Darius question to no one in particular.
"Mobilize the garrison, get every available soldier and team to ready themselves, we'll comb through the whole island if we have to." Pixis declared. "Advise all men, apprehend Eren Yeager at once and caution them, this is a dangerous individual."
"We should alert the Elrics."
"How do we not know the Elrics are on his side too?" one of the officers questioned.
"Because they've been working with me." Erwin said "They've been one of the main architects of the peace plan." He looked to Darius "We can trust them."
"I know, and if not then we still have the other alchemists." Darius commented. "Deploy ever damn available resource we have and find the coordinate."
Five months ago…
Eren tossed the baseball in the air, watching it spin as it fell back down into the palm of his hand before once more tossing it up again.
"So you think your friends have been able to find you yet?" Eren turned his head back towards Zeke, both of them were leaning up against the wall of the hospital that Eren had been staying at. Eren tossed the ball back to Zeke who expertly caught it.
"Not yet, but I plan on telling them soon enough, no doubt they are already in Marley trying to carefully sweep through Liberio."
"You could be anywhere else in the world for all they know."
"I could… but I won't leave them hanging for that long."
Zeke chuckled "Would want them to go to the trouble of having to sneak into the Mid-East looking for your ghost."
Eren looked out onto the sky, the sun was about the set and bathed the sky in an orange glow as a gentle breeze blew through his hair. He shut his eyes as he basked in the peaceful silence.
For them... I'm doing this for them…
"If our plans are to be successful then I can't have them searching for me forever." Eren said "I'll alert them of my presence here in the run up to the festival."
"You think you'll run into… them?" Zeke asked. "You think that commander of yours has them looking for you?"
"No doubt."
"Seems like a massive risk, he's already possibly lost one of his greatest assets in you and now he's willing to use another in order to find you?"
"It's a gamble he's willing to take." Eren replied "He is a very driven person."
"They all are, makes them dangerous, they'll never see things the way we do." Zeke then stood up straight from the wall. "So what did the scouts find out about the coordinate powers?"
"Nothing much really, what we manage to find out was that I was able to access the powers of the coordinate when coming into contact with royal blood, if only for just a few moments."
Zeke raised his eyebrows "Really? That would be amazing, I guess that means you don't need me then." He laughed lightly "I remember my mentor talking about something similar to that before; that its possible for a non-royal holder of the coordinate to access the powers."
"I only get some of the powers and the only one I've manage to do is communicating with someone else through paths."
"If you can communicate through paths then you can do so much more." Zeke theorised "You could send commands to people through paths.. maybe even form Eldians into titans if you wish." Eren clenched the baseball in his hand. "It was said that the founder could change the biology of Eldians just through a command, he was able to turn enough people into colossal titans to form the walls, perhaps you might have that same power."
"But I don't get full control of the coordinate."
"No, I guess it would be like managing to get a hold of the reins of a horse for just a few seconds and then changing its direction." Zeke said "I guess we'll just have to be patient until we find the right moment, until then we should start prematurely." He lifted up the ball in his hand "Here catch." Zeke lightly tossed the ball towards Eren.
Eren fumbled his touch as the ball fell out of his hand and onto the floor.
Today
Ed stared out of the window, watching the golden sun reach the halfway point of the sky as it began to dip into the horizon, the sound of shuffling next to him. Alphonse was fixing up his coat, trying to look presentable while they were both seated at a small table.
The click of the door caught both of their attention as Kyomi entered into the room, walking graceful to them before taking a seat just opposite them. A server followed in, leaving a pot of tea and three cups on the table.
How many times have we sat here? Have you sat here with someone and schemed the future of all of us?
Kyomi smiled as she picked up the pot and pour the tea into the cups before handing it to them.
"A friend of ours said that when someone pours tea for them, it's a sign of respect in their culture." Alphonse said as he took the cup from Kyomi.
Kyomi smiled "For my culture it is the same, a sign of respect for our elders and our superiors." She offered a cup to Ed who stared at her for a second before taking the cup.
Your superiors? If that was the case then she's trying to butter us up then.
"She was from a place from Xing, to the east, it had a culture of emperors, clans and a focus on medicine and inner energy."
She took her own before sipping on it "The similarities between us and them seen almost uncanny, the world you come from must be a mirror of ours in some ways." She rested the cup on the table "So Edward, Alphonse, a lot has happened since we last spoke."
"Far too much." Alphonse said. "And none of it good."
"You will not be the first country to have experienced political turmoil on their soil, or the first to face an armed mutiny or rebellion." Kyomi said.
"We have had our fair share of mutinies, rebellions and coups." Ed replied as she sipped on the tea "Both here and on our world."
"But nothing like this?"
"We're usually on the side of those staging the revolution, this is the first time we'll be trying to stop one." Alphonse confessed. "In the past we outed a priest trying to spread religious violence in a town, uncovered a conspiracy with our government and helped overthrow it later on."
"Then there was the headache with the central government here and the interior MPs, helped replace a head of state with a friend of ours."
"A first time for everything." Kyomi said, almost in jest. Her face then turned serious "I do not need to tell you that there is a lot of pressure on both the commander and you to deliver; Erwin must somehow find a way to form an armistice or agreement with the Marley soldiers and you must be prepared to face Eren Yeager and his followers if necessary."
"We are aware." Ed replied almost exhausted by the sheer thought of it all.
"I know it must be hard… Eren Yeager was your friend and, in his heart, he must believe that what he is doing is for the good of Eldia."
"And you're looking out for what's good for your family and clan." Ed said pointedly.
Kyomi raised her eyebrow "Yes, we all have our motives and goals but I have never hidden them from either you or the commander, it just so happens that our interest have aligned."
"Is the world you want one where we win?" Alphonse asked.
"Of course, trust me when I say that in my years as a diplomat I have always found it easier to bargain and negotiate with those who aren't as zealous in their convictions, or at least, those without convictions of turning the world to cinders." She crossed her legs and rested her hands on her knee "And personally I think Eldia could do better with people like Erwin or Historia in government than the likes of Eren Yeager or that Floch whatever his last name is."
Alphonse nodded while Edward shrugged.
"If I can remember correctly, you both came here initially to "save humanity" was it?"
"It was to save a group of people, facing an enemy who they don't understand but seek to destroy them or something like that." Edward replied, remembering the words that the Truth had told them all those years ago.
"Did you ever figure out the answer to that puzzle?"
"If we do then we'll be the first to tell you." Edward replied.
Not.
"I must ask, in the times you two have spent here, have your own goals and values shifted?" Kyomi asked. "What is it that you seek now? Or want?"
Alphonse looked at his tea, staring into the cup. "I still want to succeed, I still want to bring back everyone we lost back on our world… but I have people here relying on me."
The last words felt like a dagger in Ed's heart yet he kept his composure.
"Yes, you have a son and wife now?"
"Mina and I aren't married." Alphonse corrected quickly "I um…" he glanced over to Edward who stared out of the window.
"Haven't asked yet?"
"No… not yet." Alphonse confessed as he looked back to Kyomi. "I am worried about them but I know my son is safe with his grandparents and…. Mina… she could take on anything."
"And what about you, Edward, what do you want?"
Edward still stared out of the window, in his mind he tried to imagine the living room of Grandma Rockwell's house, tried to imagine that the tea in his hand was made by Winry and that she was in the kitchen making apple pie
Yet he knew he couldn't trick himself, he couldn't change where he was.
Not yet.
"What I want, I don't think you or anyone here can give me." Ed said.
"And what would that be?"
Edward looked back to her, a smile coming over his face as a laugh escaped his lips before he spoke "Honestly? Some tea and a slice of homemade apple pie is all I want right now."
Mina cupped the water in her hands as she splashed it over her face before rubbing around her face and neck. To her side her horse drank from the river, waiting patiently for her. Mina once more checked herself; the wounds she had sustained during the ambush had healed now, she was confident that should she run into any more of them she could easily crush them.
And yet, ever sound seem to put her on edge; in the distance the echoes of artillery could be heard, the Garrison offensive was surely underway by now and she could only hope that they were finding success. Yet she knew that the Warhammer titan was still out there… working with them.
How? How is that even possible?
The memories of the battle played in her mind, going over every single move and detail wondering how she came so close to beating her but losing just at the last moment to her.
If I had won then Rico…
Her heart ached for Captain Rico, her sacrifice prevented Mina from possibly getting captured by the enemy… she dreaded what would have happened if they did manage to get her.
I'd be dead… they would have transferred my titan to someone else.
She stood up and quickly marched back to her horse before climbing onto its saddle, pulling its neck, guiding it away from the river "C'mon" she said as she whipped the reins of the horse.
I have to find a radio tower, I have to find something and tell the others what happened.
She followed along a dusty road, in the distance she could hear the echoes of gunfire; a rapid pops of a machinegun before a far off explosion followed.
This area has to be controlled by the garrison by now…
Just over a hill she could see smoke, in her mind she tried to recall a map of Wall Maria.
Just there, a village should be over those hills and a near that forest.
She whipped the reins of her horse and led it towards the smoke.
If I can find a radio then I can warn the others.
As she approached the hill, the smell of burning and sulphur filled her nose, she pulled on the reins of her horse, stopping it before jumping off. Quietly she led the horse into the forest before tying the reins to a low branch. "Stay." She whispered.
She made her way towards the hill on foot, slowly moving up the mound before then laying on the ground and crawling towards some bushes, trying to find herself. As she reached the top she peered from the bushes and caught a glimpse of the village.
Yet her heart sank at the sight before her.
Just over the hill, the ground looked to have been covered in craters, makeshift barricades and barbwire were dotted around with the empty husks of burnt out cars and trucks bearing the scratched marks of the Garrison on it. Yet among all of that were the bodies of people, dressed in either regular clothes or Garrison uniform, their weapons also among the carnage.
She looked back towards the village, the buildings on the outskirts looked to have been reduced to ruins. Yet past them she could spot a radio tower.
There.
She tried to see if there was anyone there, trying to make out if the village was either controlled by the Garrison or the Yeagerists, she prayed it was the former than the latter. She waited in the bush for the sun to go down before she could make her move.
As night fell, she could spot lights being shun in the village, little dots amidst the darkness. She fiddled with her ring, unlatching the thorn within and pricking her thumb with it. She wasn't going to take any chances.
She crawled down the hill slowly before reaching one of burnt out trucks, hiding behind it and ignoring the dead body that sat up against it.
She quickly moved into a ditch, bits of wire and wooden planks littered the ground, inside was another dead body, this time a person wearing regular clothes but the symbol of the tree armband around their left arm. She stared at the body, noticing the thin hooded coat the person had worn.
Quickly and quietly she took it off the corpse, pushing the grim thoughts of the act she was performing from her mind as she placed it on, pulling the hood up.
She climbed out of the crater before making her way towards the village, the lights growing brighter as moved closer and closer. That's when she noticed it; the banner of the Tree on the window of a ruined house, the symbol of the groups of Eldians who had worked with them in Marley… and who were now likely fighting with the Yeagerists.
She quickly moved towards the wall of a burnt out house, keeping her head down. She stood up and pulled the hood over her head as she walked calmly out into the open; walking into the village she saw the villagers among the rubble of their homes, trying to get their belongs or their dead loved ones. All while the Yeagerists stood by with their hands on their weapons watching with tetchy hands and eyes.
As she walked towards the centre of the town she saw a large group of garrison soldiers all huddled into a circle guarded by more Yeagerists with on standing on a box carry a pistol, a crowd began to move towards the centre to watch something.
"The traitors attempts to place us back under their thumb has failed!" the man on the box said "Their attack on the village has failed and so will Marley and every other nation who stands in our way, the Eldian Empire will rise from the ashes of these battles!"
There was a cheer from the Yeagerists and some of the villagers though the majority stood by and watched.
The man looked down at the garrison soldiers "Bring the Captain." A man was dragged from the circle kicking before being forced up, two guards holding him at both side. "Captain Schmitt! The captain of this assault on the village, the attack has failed; the traitors Darius, Erwin, Pixis, Nil and those illusionist Edward and Alphonse Elric will fail, do not die for greed, fight with us, fighting with Eren Yeager!" there was a loud cheer among the same people.
"No." the Captain replied, silencing the crowd.
"No? you would die for those traitors to Eldia?"
"I will not fight for Eren Yeager, what has Eren Yeager done for me?" the captain questioned earning a punch to the face by one of the Yeagerists. He collapsed to the floor "My village… my home is better off for the Elrics being here, we are all better off! I won't turn my back on them!"
"Heaven's follower." The man on the box said with disgust as he pointed the pistol and fired at the captain, killing him on the spot.
"Long live the Elrics!" a random person shouted.
"Down with Marley! For Eren Yeager!" another shouted.
The situation was growing tenser and tenser, Mina quickly slipped through the crowd trying to reach the radio station, away from the crowd. She quickly hid behind another wall, peering to the side, she looked up the tower and her heart dropped.
The tower had been damaged.
"Fuck." She muttered, slamming her hand against the wall. She couldn't have this journey be a waste, she looked around "Supplies, need supplies." She quickly and quietly moved through the village again. The crowd of people now began to argue among themselves and the Yeagerists; the place was a time bomb ready to blow and Mina needed to get out now.
She moved around the burnt and broken streets, empty as most were now at the centre. She spotted a lone guard sitting by a entrance of a hall, the roof blown off. She snuck up to the side quietly. She hid behind a wall near the guard, tapping on the wall and getting their attention. The guard stood up and rounded the corner. Mina struck them in the head with her foot, slamming their head against the wall. She quickly grabbed the person's rifle and satchel before entering the hall.
Inside were crates and sacks of foot and supplies; Mina quickly grabbed a small bag nearby and began to stuff it with food and water. As she was grabbing a can of beans the sound of gunfire rang in the air, followed by more shots and the screams of people.
She stood there, almost paralysed in indecision.
I need to go, I have to join with the others.
But I can't let them do this..
I can't risk it…
I can't let them do this!
She closed her bag, breathed in deeply before running out of the hall and out of the town as fast as she could, the sound of fighting and cries growing more distant.
Hange gripped onto the reins of her horse as she looked around, the column of horses and carts behind her, Nifa and the leadership of the religious cult of the Elrics. She feels more less tense than she was a prisoner of the Yeagerists; she longer fears the possibility of being shot by her former comrades, though she is still cautious around them.
Yet she was not without fear, scanning around her environment she worried if the Yeagerists were on their trail, if Zeke Yeager was planning on finishing them off though she reasoned with herself that they would have greater issues to tackle.
They aren't following us…
A snap of a twig in the distance would have her eyes searching the treelines. She wanted to find a secure place and fast, somewhere they could fortify and bunker down until they got in contact with Erwin.
"Squad leader." Nifa said next to her, catching Hange's attention, she was holding a map in her hands while riding her horse next to Hange. "There's a prison nearby, some couple miles."
Hange pondered the option "Would the Yeagerists have taken hold of the place?"
"Unlikely." Said on of plainly dressed followers "Most of their forces will likely be south; if they did visit that place then it would likely be to free their comrades but if it's a Marley POW prison then they've… cleared it." The hesitation in their voice has Hange's mouth crease in disgust, knowing full well the implication.
Hange had a look at the map, checking if she recognised it "That's a regular prison." She said, looking at them. The plainly dressed follower nodded their head. "Also should have a radio tower connected to it, might be able to reach the others."
"Double time!" came an order down the convoy as they moved more quickly for the destination.
The night was young and the moon reaching the peak when they had arrived at the prison; large walls surrounded the complex, it was a large prison designed specifically to look like one where a shifter would be housed, rather than the smaller fortified prisons which housed the actual captured shifters.
Ah Erwin… always looking to outsmart someone.
As they approached the gate, some of those in the convoy watched with telescopes at the building, trying to judge if there was any presence, be it friend or foe.
The place was dark, not a sign of life inside the complex and the gates almost wide open.
"This feels like a trap." Nifa said.
Hange nodded her head, she turned to the others "I need a few men, we'll go through the back.
A small group accompanied Hange as they snuck behind the prison, under the cover of darkness and the long grass. She carefully drew a transmutation circle before placing her hand on it and parting the wall into a hole as the small group of followers crept into the fortified prison before going in herself.
Inside the prison was quiet still; the courtyard was empty and windows looking in showed the building to be more lifeless than expected. The followers and Hange quickly searched the area, guns drawn with one eye on the building and its windows, just waiting for a gunshot or someone to jump out at them.
God I wish I had my ODM gear with me…
Hange quickly approached the main gate, pushing the large door open more slightly and waving the others outside through.
"The place looks to be empty." Hange told the others as they passed through the gate. "The Yeagerists must have come by here quickly and let out the prisoners." The others quickly began to enter into the complex, entering the building timidly and manning the walls and watchtowers.
Hange looked up towards one of the buildings, a radio tower standing tall and reaching into the night sky. "Nifa, with me." She said "Does anyone else know who to work a radio?" she asked to a large group of followers, a few put their hands up "With me too."
The barged into the building, still empty and with all the equipment still inside.
"Whoever freed these prisoners were complete amateurs in everything else." Nifa remarked "I'd have destroyed the radio tower before leaving."
Hange rubbed her chin "You only do something like that if you believed having access to this would hinder you in some way."
"You think they were confident enough to leave a radio tower intact?" one of the followers asked.
"I think they were confident enough to believe that it wouldn't matter." Hange pushed open the door, leading to the main communications. "They must really think they'll win."
What do they know that we don't?
Hange sat down at the communication system as both she and the others began to turn on the machine, the blinking lights and cracking of the microphone and through the speakers. Hange twisted the dial on the system, trying to find the right frequency.
"Hello?" she spoke into the microphone "Can anyone hear me." There was only static on the other end of the speaker "Hello, can anyone hear me?" one of the followers began to turn the dial to one side. "C'mon damn it." She slapped the side of the microphone in frustration "work damn it."
Suddenly there was a break in the static, catching both her and the attention of everyone else in the room.
"Hello!" she called out into the microphone. "Can anyone hear me? This is captain Hange Zoe of the Scout Regiment, my unit was ambushed within wall Maria by the Yeagerists!" her men, her team, she had to compose herself once more as the thought of them resurfaced in her mind.
The static broke as the mummer of a few words broke through the other end.
The follower fiddled about with the dial as they tried to connect better to the signal.
"Military… down… your weapons…."
Hange raised her eyebrows at the words spoken from the other side. "What the?"
"Military forces… stand… surrender… leaders-, Yeager…. Have control-"
"This… this sounds like a repeated message?" Nifa commented as she listened in.
"I think it might be a broadcast." Said one of the people manning the radio.
The message got clearer and clearer as they connected to the signal better until they were able to listen to it in it's entirety.
"All military forces, from those participating in the offensive and those in reserve, we who follow Eren Yeager have assumed control of the walls." The message spoke, all the air in the room was quickly sucked out as a crushing feeling of shock and fear captured the attention of those in it "All military forces, stand down and surrender your weapons, your leaders are under out custody now, those who follower Eren Yeager have now assumed control over Paradis."
Everyone was speechless.
"This… this has to be a lie…" Hange spoke "Propaganda, lies to bring down the morale of their opponents." She looked to the follower manning the radio, their face pale with fear. "Where is this being broadcasted?"
"The- the capital."
"No." Hange looked at the microphone in her hand "Find another station, there has to be others out there." She looked to everyone in the room with a clenched fist and a look that told them 'Lets get to work.'
Yet every signal they got, every radio station they connected to, every person they thought they could get to all played that same message.
"All military forces…
One day ago
Pixis looks at a large map of southern Maria; in the past the maps of the walls were never too detailed, yes they had the roads, bridges, towns and all of the important outposts and supply caches that were prepared for the day they'd take back Shiganshina from the Titans.
But nothing like this; this was a conflict which harkened back times when people thought against people and generals moved armies of men in their thousands to battles, wars based on carefully plotted strategies and logistics against an enemy that wasn't a mindless giant that hungered for human flesh.
The kind of conflict that was occurring outside of the walls and one that they were only just now beginning to prepare for.
Around the table were other officers of the garrison, each one moving small pieces across the map, signifying either advances or retreats from either their forces or the Yeagerists. All in all, their hastily prepared offensive was going…not terribly was a way to put it.
Pixis rubbed his face as a messenger came into the room, quickly handing one of the officers a letter. The officer quickly read the message before looking up to Pixis. "We've captured on the village of Uthrect, three hundred casualties on our side and close to two hundred for the Yeagerists."
"Close to two hundred?" Pixis asked.
"Yeagerists have dug in, system of trenches around the town made capturing it more costly that expected."
Pixis breathed in deeply and sighed "Damn it all."
Here we are, wasting resources fighting each other when we have an empire only an ocean away who'd wipe us off the map.
He watched as the officer placed one of their squares over the town, signifying it's liberation. They had lost over a thousand men already, and likely the yeagerists will have lost similar numbers. His eyes shifted to Shiganshina, once the scene of a battle for the fate of walled humanity, now it may once more become just that once again.
That's if we can push through their defences before that…
Suddenly the sound of gunshots on the other side of the door snatches their eyes away from the map as everyone in the room turns their body towards the doors.
Outside the sound of machineguns and rifles are heard, as the sharp and quick cries of pain from people are heard before a silence lays over them all.
The doors burst open as a rush of men, some dressed in military uniform and others in regular civilian clothing storm the room, armed with machineguns and semi-automatic rifles enter pointing their weapons straight at them.
Some of the guards tried to fire back at them but were quickly shot down, as were some of the officers reaching for their pistols "No one move!" ordered one of the armed men. "Or we will shoot all of you!"
"Everyone, stand down." Pixis ordered. Some of the armed men hurriedly took the weapons from the fallen soldiers and officers before quickly moving to their positions.
The sound of a singular pair of boots walking towards them echoed out from the hallway and into the room.
A young man dressed in the military coat of the scout regiment marched into the room.
"Floch Forrester, I presume?" Pixis asked of the young man.
He looked at Pixis incredulously, as if he was holding back a sneer. "Yes. Pixis."
"Pixis? Well I should be disappointed with the disrespect, but I take it over everyone calling me Premier."
"I prefer the word traitor better for you and your ilk." Floch spoke as he pulled out his handgun. "This campaign you've tried to wage against us has failed, thousands dead and all because you refuse to work with Eren Yeager or ourselves in freeing our people from the chains of Marley oppression."
Pixis wanted to laugh "I am many things my boy, but a traitor? No"
"Anyone who stands in our way, any Eldian who stands in the way of the Neo-Eldian empire is a traitor to their people and is worthy of death." Floch spoke, he looked around the room, guns still pointed at everyone else too scared to even breath in their direction. "Eren will be the one to lead us, we are the future of Eldia!" he declared.
"You think highly of yourself son, far too highly." Pixis remarked.
"I have won."
"Aye, for now you have, but nobody wins forever." Pixis shot back "Take it from someone who just lost."
Floch sneered at him before looking around the room "All who surrenders their arms and declares their loyalty to the cause will live in a Free Eldia, a powerful Eldia! This nation is ours and soon the whole world will be! All that needs to be done is to join us!"
"And what happens to those who refuse?"
"We won't share our future with traitors."
Pixis snickered he reached out for his flask on the table, some of the Yeagerists pointed their guns at him.
Clearly an itchy lot.
Pixis took a deep gulp of his drink before placing it back onto the table.
"I'd rather die than live under the heel of a tyrant." Pixis said "Take my men as prisoner but I will not serve you or Eren Yeager."
Floch rolled his eyes and pointed his gun at Pixis.
Before shooting him in the neck.
The bullet strikes Pixis in the side of the neck, just missing his throat directly. There were loud gasps and cries as Pixis hits the floor, he can see his aide rush to his side before one of the Yeagerists point their guns at her, stopping her in her tracks.
Floch walks up to him, looking down at him as Pixis bleeds out onto the floor, the two's eyes fixed on each other. Floch looks up at those in the room again "The Walls are ours! Paradis is ours! Soon, all of Marley will be too!"
"For Eren Yeager!"
"For Eldia!"
The chant was repeated through the hall by the Yeagerists.
Floch looked back down at Pixis again before pointing his gun at Pixis' head and pulling the trigger.
Erwin stands in his office, his officers behind him as they discuss amongst themselves on a table. They have just been through another round of talks with the Marley officer and General Magath and still were no closer to a breakthrough.
He stared outside the window, the port in front of him and then the endless space of ocean ahead of that. He could see the people on the ground; it was a mix of his scouts, Heaven's followers and now Marley soldiers who had begun to trickle into the port, all huddled into their respective groups.
He turned around to see his officers with the Elrics, stacks of paper on the table with them as they read through the demands of the Marley officers.
"This is bullshit." Nanaba said "They have the nerve to think they can demand we hand over our resources and alchemy and for what?"
"They wouldn't even recognise us as a sovereign state." Moblit contemplates. "It seems they want all of our resources but nothing in return."
Erwin moved back to the table standing behind his chair, holding onto the edge of it.
Quite…
Marley had 'assured' them that they may recognise the territorial boarders of Paradis in exchange for halting their weapons programmes and also access to both resources and alchemy and 'promises' they will not infringe on those boarders in the near future.
A deal only a fool would accept.
Erwin and the other countered asking full recognition of their sovereignty, separate trade agreements, no access to alchemy in future and also the recognition of rights of those Eldians living inside and outside the walls.
The last one had made them scoff at us…
"This is stupid, why are we even talking to these bastards." One of his officers exclaimed in frustrations. "We should kill them here and now."
"By all means, do so." Edward said "Go ahead and do something stupid like that, lets see how far it gets us." Ed looked around at the faces of those at the table before taking in a deep breath and sigh "Look… I get it, this is bullshit, we should have to negotiate our rights and freedom."
"We have that stone of yours." Moblit said "That should be enough."
Both Edward and Alphonse glared Moblit who immediately backed down "We will not use the philosopher stone to hold the world at ransom."
"Marley is holding us at ransom, they're holding millions of innocent Eldians at ransom." One officer countered. "We should be setting the terms to them, not finding common ground, we can have peace for decades to come."
"And in twenty years or thirty or whenever, when that stone is no longer in our hands or Paradis hands, do you think Marley or the world will not seek retribution again? Trust me when I say that kind of peace doesn't last." Edward said "And when it ends, it gets bloody."
"We need to do what other in the past failed to do." Alphonse spoke up this time. "We need to build bridges to other nations and people. Alphonse began writing down more notes "Getting access to their radios, access to a platform in front of the world like Willy Tybur did, that has to be one of our demands."
"What do you think the Marleyans will demand for that?" Nanaba asked cynically.
Before Alphonse could answer there was a rushed knock on the door. "Come in." Erwin said.
A scout rushed into the room, standing at attention before them, a clenched fist at his chest "Commander Erwin, I… I have news to share, it's for you and the officers." The scout handed a letter to Edward who walked up to the scout who saluted him and rushed out of the office.
Edward looked at the letter silently, Erwin studied his reaction; following Edward's eyes as Ed's eye scanned each sentence. He could see the grip of his fingers press into the letter as his breath became more stilted and expression more grim.
"No… no, no, no…" Edward muttered, he looked at Erwin.
Nanaba took the letter from Edward's hand and read it, her own expression mirror Ed's. The feeling around room grew more and more fearful as the rest wondered what was in the letter.
"Erwin…" Nanaba voice trembled.
"What is it?" Erwin asked calmly, he inside he himself felt the dread closing in on him.
Alphonse placed the letter down on the table and stood up from his seat "Commander Pixis is dead." He said, Erwin clenched his jaw and gripped the rim of the chair tightly "The offensive against the Yeagerists was a failure, the rest of the walls have fallen to them." There was a look of fear, true terror on his face.
"How? How is that possible." One of his officers exclaimed.
"They must have known it was going to happen." Edward said "They knew about it all, knew we were desperate and took that moment to strike.
"They finished off their coup."
"Sir, you are the last commander left in the military that hasn't been killed or captured by the Yeagerists."
"Premier, what are your orders?"
To say that Nanaba was frustrated was beyond an understatement, she wanted to throw her chair at the Marley officer in front of her. He sat there leaning forward, his jacket around his chair as he gulped down his glass of water after stuffing his face with the biscuits in the table.
Pig…
They were so timid, so scared when they first arrived; wouldn't dare eat or drink anything unless we had eaten or drank it first and now they don't care.
It was yet another round of talks, another attempt to throw something at the wall and hope that something sticks. She wondered briefly what Gelgar would have done at these talks.
You would have gotten blind drunk and then started a fight with one of them
She wanted to smirk and laugh at the thought of that.
She then wondered what Mike would have done.
What would you have done?
She wondered more about how her former squad leader who have handled this; whether he had the patience for it, whether he would have intimidated the Marley officer in front of her… whether he'd do a better job than her right now.
"What we are asking for shouldn't be hard." Alphonse stated "All we want is for the chance to present ourselves to the world as Willy had once done with the delegates in Liberio."
"And why should they?" one of the Marley officers questioned "After what Eren Yeager had done, may of them will have lost friends, some even family in those attacks, you believe they will hear you out?"
"We are not Eren Yeager, we are not allies of Eren Yeager, what are you not getting?" one on their side argued.
"It's all the same, an Eldian is still an Eldian." Edward had to place his hand over the officer on their side of the table, stopping them from practically jumping out of their seat and choking the Marley bastard in front of them.
"That's enough." Magath spoke this time. "Even if we did do that, he has a point, the good will of Eldians is at an all time low and that is even lower for those in Paradis ever since the attack of Libero by Survey corps soldiers."
"It was Marley who declared war on us!" another one of their side shouted "Even if they never attacked you still would have attacked us! You still would have hated us!"
"He's right, the only reason you're here is because you're desperate." Nanaba added. Some of the Marley officers scoffed at her statement "Eren had the coordinate and is working with Zeke, he may use the wall titans at any point, you know damn well you can't take him down alone."
"Please, we can beat Eren Yeager, we'd just prefer we do to this while not risking more of our men." The man in front of her spoke this time.
"She right." Ed spoke "If Eren was to use the founding titan right now then we'd be leading the fight against him, you could throw whatever you wanted at him but I promise you it wouldn't work, take it from us, you should know how dangerous the colossal titan was and we actually beat it."
"That's another thing, you refuse to hand over the titans we lost back in our possession." Ed squeezed the bridge of his nose as the Marley officer completed missed the point.
"We know about the danger the colossal titans pose, we all grew up with fears that we would one day be trampled by them one day." Magath spoke up. "But we will not trade one radical armed with the coordinate with radicals armed with alchemy."
"I understand the issues and concerns surrounding security, General." Erwin said "We are happy to make guarantees regarding this."
"And what guarantees can you provide?"
"We're willing to keep our military assets within our own boundaries only and restricting the trade of weapons to others." Erwin began "We are also willing to return captured Marley equipment into your possession once more as well as captured naval vessels if needed over a period of time-"
"What would our guns or ships mean to you exactly?" one of the officers questioned "You have rifles that make ours look primitive, you think giving us back what was our anyways and you clearly don't need is a guarantee of safety."
"Then what would satisfy your concerns?" Moblit questioned.
"Alchemy." The scout side of the table all scoffed at once causing more grumbles on the Marley side. "That and unrestricted access to the resources of the island is our demand."
"You know we can't do that." Alphonse said.
"For those kind of demands we would want far more than what we are asking for." Erwin spoke.
"What exactly."
"We want full rights for all Eldians within Marley." Edward, this time it was the Marley side of the table turn to scoff at them but this time their side did not grumble but instead rage and argue. A full blown argument erupted on both sides of table; shouts of injustice, history and insults in between traded between them.
"Enough!" Erwin commanded. "General Magath, it appears we have reached yet another impasse, let us take a break and then reconvene later tonight."
"I think we found something you and I can both agree on." Magath commented as he and the Marley officers stood up from their chairs and left the room.
"Can you believe them?" Nanaba exclaimed "They smugness, the arrogance to demand that of us! And what do we get?" She looked to both Edward and Alphonse, even they looked frustrated at this.
"I still think we should just hold them hostage while they are still within our grasp." One officer commented.
"Once Armin arrives with the rest of the Marley forces we could possibly ambush their camp." Another suggested "We have them outnumbered and outgunned."
Nanaba began to consider the merits of that idea…
"No." Erwin shot down the idea firmly "I agree that these talks have been less than fruitful, if we don't succeed her or at least try… then we may be facing a battle on multiple fronts. Against both the Yeagerists and Marley."
"We have to find something we can agree on, there has to be one thing." Alphonse said as he sorted through his notes on the table.
"There is, we just have to find out what it is, but once we find it. Then we have our pathway forward." Erwin said "Hold firm, this is far from over."
Mikasa stood on the edge of the harbour, a head of her she could see the outline of newly created defences; the barbwire, the ditches, trenches and some makeshift bunkers dotting the landscape.
It had been Erwin's idea to quickly fortify the area and prepare for attack from all sides, both from Marley… and their former comrades.
She gripped her scarf with one hand, rubbing the fabric with between her fingers and palm as she waited, her eyes searching the horizon for more trunks to come in. There was a deep pit in her stomach; she hated the idea of Armin being part of the exchange as they prepared for the arrival of more Marley soldiers into the harbour.
He knows what he is doing…
She tried to assure herself yet she knew that he'd be alone, without his gloves and likely hands bound together to prevent him from defending himself.
If they had done anything to him…
She couldn't bear the thought of losing someone else, not now, not in a time like this.
A loud bang rang just some distance from her, the same bang that had been repeated every time vehicles were stopped by the watch tower. She took in a deep breath and let out a relaxed sigh of relief as she could make out fast moving dots coming towards them.
She heard someone sneer as the trucks came in sight; the feeling of cooperation or tolerance was still low among those in the walls and those soldiers of Marley. Something that Mikasa couldn't blame them for nor did she not sympathise with.
A group of trucks stopped just near the edges of the harbour, Mikasa accompanied a group of scout soldiers to the trucks as Marley soldiers began to pour out. There was a silent tension in the air as the two groups took stock of each other before one of the scouts pointed them in one direction towards a makeshift camp the Marleyans were making just within the defences.
Not a single word was exchanged between the two.
Mikasa looked around the crowd of Marley soldiers, trying and hoping to spot Armin among them. Her heart leapt when she saw him, being escorted by two Marley soldiers, with his hands still bound between his back.
"Armin!" she called out.
She rushed through the crowd of Marley soldiers towards him. Armin quickly saw her and looked to almost want to jump into her arms when someone stopped her, standing in front of Armin.
Mikasa stopped, spotting some of the Marley soldiers gripping the handle of the weapons.
"Not one more step." The soldier in front of her said, she clenched her fists staring at him eye to eye, she knew she could take him quite easily if it wasn't for the others with guns in their hands.
She glanced herself to see some of the scouts come towards her, weapons in their own hands as they stared down the Marley soldiers.
"You're not handing out orders here." Mikasa said.
"Mikasa, please." Armin pleaded, walking forward, he turned to the Marley soldiers "It's fine, the agreement still stands, stand down." He looked at those around them now "All of you."
Mikasa sized up the Marley soldier in front of her, that's when she noticed his hand was bandaged up, some red faintly spilling through.
He's a shifter….
Mikasa stepped back. "You're Porco?" she asked of the soldier.
"Yeah." He replied.
"Pieck is waiting for you." She said. "Follow me." Some of the Marley troops followed Porco as Mikasa escorted them away from the rest of the Marley convoy, she looked back to see Armin being led away with the rest of the Marley troops as they made their way to the camp.
She brings them to the ambassador's house, the entrance guarded by a group of scout troops who stare at the Marley group behind her with venom. One of them opens the door for them and lets them in before stopping the escorts "Not you two. You stay outside."
Porco glares at them before he looks back at his troops "Stay put." He orders them. They raise their hands at him, their version of a salute.
Inside the mansion Pieck waits at the bottom of a staircase. She smiles at him "Pork, glad to see you've made it." She remarks. Mikasa notices Porco seem to cringe at the mention of that. "Magath is with the other officers and Reiner, still trying to hatch out an agreement.
"Still nothing?" he questions "Its been almost a week."
"Its been… tough." She says, rubbing her eyes.
"It would be easier if the general would budge on some of our terms." Mikasa said, remembering what she had been told by the others in the negotiations. "What we want is simply, we want our rights and freedom."
You should want that too.
"You also want complete control over the Coordinate, Colossal, Female and Attack Titan, strict keeping of Alchemy within Paradis boarders and lobsided terms when it comes to a trade agreement." Pieck shot back. "And massive reparations on top of all of that."
"Those are ours, we suffered from the attack by the warriors."
"And the people of the world had not suffered the thousand of years of the Eldian empire?" Porco questioned her.
"I'm sure everything under Marley was perfect then?" Mikasa shot back "Those rebel groups we met in your empire were all just mistaken when the saw Marley's boots on their family's neck." Porco was going to hit back at her when he was quickly interrupted.
"My God, I thought we'd have enough of this during the talks, gotta hear it from you guys too?" came a voice from the top of the staircase, they all looked up to see Alphonse and Ed walking down to them; the latest round of talks likely ending for the day.
Alphonse looked over to Porco and almost froze. "I remember you." He said. "You were at Shiganshina that day…"
Porco looked away from him "You got lucky that day." He growled.
"Maybe." Alphonse said "I would call you lucky, had Reiner not stood up for you or your friend not saved you then we might not be having this conversation."
"Let me ask you something." Porco said pointing at him, both Edward and Mikasa stepped forward as he did so. "Did it feel good feeding Annie, our friend, to your girlfriend?" Alphonse raised his eyebrow at that "Oh yeah, Armin told me, said you fed Annie to Mina, tell me; do you feel proud you did that?"
"You should step back." Mikasa told him.
"Porco… now's not the time." Pieck said.
"I think it is!" he said "I want to know, did it make you feel good?"
Mikasa watched Alphonse as he said nothing "No." he replied "It pained me to do that, but I'd do anything for someone I love."
"Annie's father lost his daughter because of you-"
"And Mina's parents would have lost their daughter and my son would not have been born, if you're asking if I feel guilty then yes." Alphonse said "But… I'm sure it pains you to take so many lives for leaders who view you as less than them."
Suddenly the echoes of a commotion outside grabbed their attention as they saw staff from the mansion rush to the windows to watch. They all quickly rushed through the door and onto the street to see a group of scouts and Martey soldiers yelling at each other, both armed with guns.
"Devils!"
"Disgusting monsters!"
"Bastards!"
The groups insulted each other, brandishing their weapons as if to scare the other off, but neither would budge. More people began to get involved, some in workers uniforms and then some dressed in regular clothes carrying weapons of their own.
"Fuck." Mikasa heard Edward mutter.
Both she, Edward and Alphonse rushed over to their side of the divide as Pieck rushed over to hers as they attempted to break up the fight.
"Hey! Hey!" Ed called out as he pushed people away "Enough, we're not fighting each other here."
"Why are they here? They're the enemy, we should throw them back into the sea!" one of the scouts called out.
"Stand down!" Mikasa ordered, quickly rushing over to stand in front of him.
"All of you calm down." Pieck urged her side. "Head back to the camp."
"Have you been brainwashed by them?" A Marley soldier questioned "We can never trust an Eldian."
"That's enough." Porco quickly stepped in. "You will not speak to you an officer like that."
Mikasa could clearly see that the soldier in front of them was drunk.
"You think I care what you damn Eldians think?" the Marley soldier said "Makes me sick even stepping on this cursed land let alone the idea of making peace with these abominations."
One of the Heaven's followers burst through and charged at the Marley soldier before Ed quickly grabbed their arm, stopping them before they could come crashing onto the group of Marley soldiers.
"No." Ed commanded him. The man looked like he wanted to tug away from Edward's grip yet he relented to him.
One of the Marley soldiers sneered at the sight "How could they worship him, how could they worship those two, they are no better than the devils themselves."
The follower marched back towards them and was struck in the face with the butt of a rifle, sending them crashing into the floor.
Mikasa tried to hold back the others as the tried to charge forward, the few trying to hold back the many from a bloodbath.
Until Ed grabbed the man who struck the follower with their rifle, pulled him from the group and struck him in the face with his fist hard and then into the stomach before throwing them onto the floor. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks as Ed clapped his hands together, held into out his hand reached out for a Halberd as it was formed and risen from the ground and into Ed's Hands, grabbing it and pointing it at the neck of the Marley soldier on the ground.
"That's enough!" Alphonse pulled Edward back as the once raucous group of Marley soldiers stood silent and fearful.
"Damn it…" Ed muttered, throwing the weapon to the ground as he shook his head, looking down to the ground.
"Head back to camp." Alphonse told them Marleyans. "All of you, head back to your quarters." The groups of people quickly dispersed away from the scene, leaving the others to pick up the pieces.
Mikasa picked up the Halberd from the ground, she squeezed the staff of the weapon; breaking in her hand, proving to be more brittle than it looked.
Pieck watched her "Lost your cool but just wanted to scare them?" she asked, turning back to Edward.
Ed nodded, still looking frustrated and angry.
Mikasa sighed.
What am I doing here? All around her, she had now so few friends and yet was surrounded by strangers and even now people she fought against. All of this to stop him.
She dropped the pieces of the Halberd onto the ground, smashing into smaller pieces as she gently gripped her scarf once more, rubbing her fingers against it.
Alphonse read through the notes as he took sips from his tea, it had not been a day since talks had resumed and even less so since the incident with Ed, the tension in the harbour among the scouts, the Marleyans and the religious following that rallied around both he and Ed.
It still made them uneasy, it made him feel uneasy to have an army of zealots follow them and even worse, that they now had to consider using them and sending them out to fight and die on their behalf.
Alphonse rubbed his eyes, he stilled remembered the papers than had been sent to him regarding a world conflict; the millions of dead that would come if they did not do everything in their power to stop this. He remembered the stories of the War in Ishval; the death, the carnage and the horrors that stuck with the survivors and the scars it had left it in wake on both people and country.
He shook his head, trying to escape those bleck thoughts in his head. He looked towards Ed, sitting next to him and staring out of the window; he knew what he was thinking about, never outright saying it but only mentioning bits here and there… and staring at that old faded and folded photograph he kept in that pocket watch.
"We should be reading over the notes again." Alphonse told him. "There must be something they will budge on."
"Its alchemy." Ed said "They want it and that's the only thing that will make them budge." He turned his head to Alphonse "But there's no way in hell I'm teaching them how to use it though."
Alphonse sighed.
He's right, I wouldn't want to see Alchemy in Marley hands either.
We can't trust that the moment we teach them alchemy they won't quickly turn on Paradis and the Eldian people.
"Still, we have to try, maybe there is something on the trading terms we can compromise on." Alphonse suggested.
Ed laughed a bit "Al, I think you're a smart guy but I don't think either you or I have any business doing trade agreements." Alphonse smiled at that comment, he too wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of that. "I think this might be the one time we really are way in over our heads." Alphonse shook his head, he placed down the papers onto the table and leaned back in his chair. "How are you feeling about…"
"Emmanuel?" Alphonse said, his thoughts quickly went back to his son with his grandparents; when he had gotten news of the Yeagerists take over of the walls he wanted nothing more than to get in a car or horse and start heading back to Karanes even if he had to fight every Yeagerists in his way.
I couldn't… I have to trust that their safe, they have the bunker and Karanes is a Followers stronghold, they are safer there then… here.
Even having being a religious figure had its perks.
"We haven't heard back from Mina either…" Ed said. "Or the others."
"She's fine… I just know it." Alphonse replied "She… we've been through worse, I trust her… she'll come back." He could feel the anxiety brewing inside him but he couldn't doubt her now, if he did then he'd likely loose himself.
There was a knock on the door before the person on the other side entered; Marlowe and Onyakapon stepped in and approached them "Sorry for disturbing you guys." He said, standing behind a chair as he gripped the back of it tightly "But this is important."
"What?" Ed asked.
Marlowe took in a deep breath before exhaling "There's been talk… arguments… fights… among our ranks about these 'talks' with Marley."
Ed lowered his head as he kissed his teeth "Tell us something we don't know."
"This is serious." Onyakapon said "That little incident that happened with you guys was only one in a couple dozen of fights and clashes between the scouts, Marleyans and your followers, we've even had someone die because of it." He stared at Ed who looked away ashamed. "If someone doesn't do something then things will get bloody and this alliance will have died before it reached it's crib."
"What happened?" Ed asked.
"Marleyans harassed some of the workers, some of the followers jumped it…" Onyakapon said "In the fight one of the Marleyans had a bayonet…" he stared at the wall, recounting it "That soldier is now being held by the Marleyans for now but this will happen again."
They both listened silently as Marlowe began to talk "Dissent among the scouts is high too but for now Erwin is keeping it from bubbling over, for how much longer I don't know but if we don't get any progress in these talks then it'll spill over."
We're running out of time…
"What do you need us to do?" Alphonse asked.
"For now things are tense but have erupted, each side is keeping to their own camps for now with only a few people passing through each, sometimes to move supplies or communications." Onyakapon explained "What needs to happen is for you to settle down the followers, speak to them."
"And say what?" Ed asked.
"Whatever you can, if you have to then lean into their beliefs." Marlowe suggested, both of them visibly cringed at the idea "There aren't any other options; even if terms are agreed I doubt it will be accepted by any side in the harbour."
"He is right." Onyakapon glanced over to Marlowe "These people follow you and right now you might be at risk of losing them before the real war starts, the Yeagerists now have control of your capital and maybe even the Queen, now is not the time to be righteous."
Both Alphonse and Ed looked at each other "I can't do it." Ed said "They saw me threaten that Marley soldier, I'll be the wrong messenger."
"I'll do it." Alphonse said, standing up from his seat "But it can't just be an address to our followers, we need the others to hear it." Onyakapon nodded his head.
"Still, you should focus it on your followers at least, adding in a few things here and there to let Marley know it's worth negotiating or still put some hope in an alliance."
"Can't expect them all to love each other instantly but we have to give them some kind of reason."
"Gather the followers near the docks, that is when it'll also be busiest." Alphonse said. "Spead the word, I'll be there at midday." Marlowe nodded.
"Whatever you need my friend." Onyakapon "To a better world than this." They both quickly rushed out, getting ready to set the stage.
"What do you plan on telling them?" Ed asked.
"The Truth."
When he and Ed should have been preparing notes for the next round of talks they stayed up thinking, trying to write something which would put some belief in everyone. The next day, Alphonse sat on a stack of boxes on the large stone pier as a large crowd of people began to form around him, some standing on the pier with him while those spilling out watched from a distance.
Word had gotten out fast…
He felt a nervousness in his stomach and a thudding in his chest.
He stood up, now face to face with the mass crowd of people; among them he could see dock worker, some likely Marley POWs, who stopped to watch him by the hundred and hundreds of men and women who joined him and Edward south to fight for them.
They would die for me…
A hush came over the crowd instantly as he stood up, everyone waiting with anticipation.
For this moment… I must act like Cornel… like Bradley… Like Mustang.
He took in a deep breath.
"A lot of you want to know what's going on." He spoke, using the years of experience as the captain of the battalion and a alchemist teacher to use "What our plans will be… and where we stand on all of this."
He walked forward into the crowd, the people who watched now close enough to touch him, to bump into his, he could hear their every breath and every detail of their faces.
"For many here, it's painful to imagine working with Marley and the Warriors in any way, after what was done to us and especially now when the people we are fighting were once our neighbours, our friends and family."
There was a few whispers and mummers among the crowd.
"I understand that, you all deserve to know what's going on." He declared, looking at them, eye to eye taking a moment to look at each person in front of him.
"Zeke Yeager plans on using the power of the Coordinate to prevent Ymir's people from ever having children, so that one day the people of this island and the people of Ymir across the world will die out."
There was an loud cacophony of gasps and shouts among the large crowd. Alphonse raised his hand, silencing them quickly.
"Eren and his supporters aren't following Zeke's plans, they have their own; when we confronted him he told us he planned to use the colossal titans to crush the world and force it to bend to them."
Again there were more mummers and talks now before Alphonse silenced them.
"All of you who follow us…" he declared "You have put your faith in us, in our works and what we have achieved; from roads to trains, from electricity to cars, from automail to even medicines, you believe in us." He said placing an arm around the shoulder of a man with a automail arm.
"But you all want to protect your homes and your families, and I know that for everyone here, who we are is nothing compared to the importance of your lives or your loved ones." He kept moving through the crowd, the people almost following him as he walked.
"Maybe what Eren offers is the simplest road to that." Alphonse admitted "A world you don't have to fear and this island controls, maybe it will be easier at night knowing everyone who could hurt us is dead, brought to heel or lives in fear of what we are."
Alphonse took in a deep breath.
"But I do not want that." He declared as loudly and sternly as possible.
"I still want you all to fight alongside us, not because we are something divine or holy, but because we are fighting to protect what's close to us, we have people we love on this island called home! But I will take no comfort from the corpses of my foes!"
"Years ago my brother and I burned down our own house to move forward with your goal… But I will not burn this world to do the same! I've taken my share of lives during my time here and it will haunt me till the day I die, but never once had I ever doubted that the lives of my friends, comrades, strangers or enemies was something to take lightly!"
He placed his hand on his chest, willing his voice to go further.
"Eren was only a child when the titans destroyed his home… I'll be will not subject another innocent child to that! If the world comes to threaten us then we will fight, Edward and I will stand with you. But we will be damned before we take the freedom of others to live safely, I'll be damned before I strip that from one child while guarding my own."
He could see those in the crowd nodding to his every word.
I'm winning them over!
"We will not strip the world of its freedom just so we can enjoy ours!"
He spotted some Marley soldiers standing in the crowd, a group of them as he walked out of the pier.
My chance.
"Look around you!" he declared "That Marleyan!" he pointed to him "That Eldian" he pointed to a woman dressed in scout uniform "What's so different about and them? Your blood, your history? We stand at a point where the fate of the world will be decided, those differences shouldn't have mattered then and it sure as hell doesn't matter now!"
He placed a fist onto the chest of a Marley soldier as he spoke to the crowd.
"Whatever history, mistakes, crimes or actions that your ancestors did, we can't keep living with the pain and hatred, its what got us here in the first place." He declared "We have to be the ones to fix it, move past what separates us, move past this cycle of hate and revenge! Set right those mistakes and injustices!"
Among the crowd there were cheers as others audibly voiced their agreement.
"I see friends and families, bonds more valuable than whatever blood runs through our veins!" those around him looked at each other, less hate in their eyes and now more curiosity.
"I'm asking you to fight with us! Fight for a future where you children no longer pick up rifles to fight old grudges, fight for the future of the stranger because they deserve it too! For the future of Paradis and the world!"
The cheers grew louder and louder till they almost became deafening and Alphonse had not felt so alive as with a clenched fist as his heart he declared.
"Don't fight to survive in this world! Fight to live, fight to move forward and keep moving forward!"
Hi everyone, I know I know its been a while again, another 14,000 word chapter. I've been rewriting and restructuring this for ages. And then there's life happening too; work, family, relationship etc
I can't promise you that the next chapter will be soon, but I'm not giving up on this story.
12 chapters left which with how the other chapter have gone will be like 168,000 more words to go.