Music and laughter filled the air of the Liberio Internment Zone. The festival was in full swing now. I walked through the crowded streets as the different smells from the food stands filled my nose. Yelena had left last night to deliver my report to Captain Levi. She said she'd find me in the crowd when she returned with his message.
"Miss Grimason! You're here!" I stopped hearing Falco's voice behind me.
I turned around to see Falco staring up at me. He had an empty food wrapper in one hand and still had evidence of crumbs on his face. Someone's enjoying the festivities.
"Yeah, I decided to try it out. Are you by yourself?" I asked him.
Falco shook his head, "No, I'm here with my friends and mentors. We were at a food stand not too far and I saw you walk by. So I wanted to come by and say hi." Reiner was with him yesterday. I'll bet he's one of the mentors Falco's referring to.
"Falco there you are." My eyes glanced to the left as a frail, pale looking woman with black long hair and eyes approached. I instantly recognized her from the photos of the Titan Warriors. Pieck Finger the Cart Titan. She's the one who helped Zeke and Reiner escape four years ago.
"You took off running saying you saw a friend. We got concerned so I came to find you." Pieck informed Falco.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you or the others, Miss Finger." Falco apologized.
"That's alright. Were you going to introduce me to your friend?" Pieck looked at me and gave a smile. It screamed fake to me. Either she's putting on a really good act or she's just this polite. I can't tell, she's hard to read.
"This is Miss Grimason. Her family member is unwell right now so she's here visiting." Falco introduced me.
Pieck tilted her head at me, "I see and does Miss Grimason have a first name?" She is testing me.
"Evelynn." I said without hesitation. I recited mom's first name instead of my own.
"Evelynn, that's a pretty name. My name is Pieck Finger, it's nice to meet you. Say, have we met before at all? You look very familiar to me but I can't quite place you." An image of her Titan form going in to bite me flashed in my head.
I gave an apologetic smile, "Sorry, can't say I have. I mean, I've heard of you. You're one of the nine but I've never personally met you." I informed her.
"Well now we have. Come on Falco, we should get back to the others." Pieck ushered him.
"Okay, bye Miss Grimason. Have fun at the festival." Falco said and followed Pieck back.
I stood still and watched as they disappeared into the crowd. I couldn't tell if Pieck could tell who I was. Luckily, we met only once and it was brief. I just have to hope she didn't. I'm glad Armin came up with the idea about a disguise. It possibly saved me at that moment.
The crowd began to thin out slightly. As it did my steele gray eyes made direct contact with wide golden eyes staring at me from a far distance. Falco and the rest of his group had their backs to me and walked away. All except for one. Reiner stared directly at me and his body was frozen still. He had his wallet out with money being handed to the stall owner.
I felt myself freeze as we maintained eye contact. He hadn't made an attempt to move. I could only pray that this disguise would fool him. He finally moved his body and instead of walking away, he started walking towards me. Shit! That broke me out of my frozen state. I turned on my heel and began walking in the opposite direction.
"Hey, wait!" I heard him call out behind me. He didn't outright say my name so that confirmed he hadn't yet made the connection. Still, I need to lose him and fast. He's with other Titan Warriors.
I quickened my walking speed gradually and started to weave in and out through the crowds of people. I briefly looked over my shoulder and silently cursed. Reiner was pushing past people to get to me. A look of disbelief and curiosity adorned his face. He's being incredibly persistent right now. I need to lose him now! If I get caught by him then the invasion plan all goes to hell.
I quickly changed course and headed for a much less dense population of people. I need to use my ODM Gear to get away which means I need to go somewhere where nobody is. The crowd began to thin as I got further away from the festival.
"Stop!" I heard Reiner's voice again behind me. My ears picked on heavy boots hitting the ground faster. He's starting to run. I broke out into a run myself and prayed that the wig would stay on. As I quickly turned around a corner. I opened my white trench coat to reveal my ODM Gear. I grabbed both handles and quickly shot the hooks to the high apartment building above. I barely used any gas as I pulled the triggers to retract myself in. I had my hooks retract back as I arched over the building. I landed on the roof and immediately hit the deck. The brick wall concealing me from the view below.
I heard heavy boots get closer before they stopped. I could hear Reiner breathing heavily. I couldn't risk peeking over the brick wall. If at any point he really thought it was me. He would be looking up for any signs of ODM Gear being used. I angled my hooks high enough that he shouldn't notice the puncture holes in the bricks of the building.
"Damnit!" I heard Reiner swear through clenched teeth.
"Reiner!" I paused hearing a young girl's voice call out his name, "What's gotten into you? Why did you start running?" I heard the girl ask. I could hear her trying to catch her breath as well.
"Gabi, you followed me?" I heard Reiner question this Gabi.
"Well yeah! We were going to the next stop and I noticed that you weren't following. I saw you go off into the crowd so I followed. You're starting to worry me too, you know?" Gabi sounded sincere in her voice. The fact they both call each other by first names means they're familiar with one another at least.
"I…I thought I saw someone I know." Reiner answered her. So he did have a suspicion it was me.
"Someone you know? Who?" Gabi asked.
"A woman. Her name was Viv or at least, that's what I called her." I felt a twinge in my chest hearing him call me by my nickname.
"A woman huh? Are you seeing someone behind our backs? Do I need to go tattletail to Aunt Karina?" Aunt? Are Reiner and Gabi cousins? That would explain why they talk so casually to one another.
"No, do not tell my mother about this. It didn't work out between us anyway. Besides, I'm pretty sure there was nobody really here. My mind must have been making things up." My brows furrowed in sorrow. He's still struggling mentally it seems. That must be why he cursed earlier. I made him think he was imagining me the entire time.
"Come on, we need to meet back up with Falco and the others." Reiner said.
I waited until I heard their footsteps disappear in the distance. I grabbed the short brick wall and pulled myself up. I looked down to see that they were indeed gone. I released the breath I was holding in. That was way too close for comfort. I can't risk getting spotted again. I'll have to avoid the rest of the festival until nightfall.
I heard a ship's horn in the distance. I stood up on the roof and looked out to the docks. My eyes narrowed on the familiar ship that we used to go to and from Paradis. Perfect timing, I can meet up with Yelena myself. Get geared up and wait for the sun to go down. I hopped onto the small brick wall before dropping down. My ODM Gear hooking into the building and allowing me to glide down. I placed the handles back into their holsters and closed up the white trench coat once more.
Reiner's P.O.V
Reiner was physically present but mentally, his mind was elsewhere. He tuned out the background noise of the filling outside theater. The sun had gone down not long ago. The main event after the festival was queued to start soon. His mind, however, kept going back to earlier in the day.
That woman's face kept flashing in his head on repeat. He was preoccupied when Falco had mentioned he saw a friend and went to say hi. Pieck had gone after him and got him back shortly. Reiner was busy paying for their food when they came back. Pieck had commented to him and Porco about the strange woman Falco had met. The woman, according to Pieck, carried herself very highly for a standard Eldian soldier. Comparing the attitude to that of a Warrior.
Reiner had just casually looked in the direction Pieck pointed to. He never expected to see what he saw. The woman was wearing a standard Marleyan military uniform with a white trench coat. The white Eldian band on her left arm and long brown hair. That wasn't what got his attention, it was her eyes. Captivating steele gray eyes that reminded him of a woman he hadn't seen in four years. Vivien Ackerman, the Island Devil that he had fallen in love with. The woman who would appear in his dreams occasionally and ward off his usual nightmares.
Then the woman noticed him as well. Neither of them could break their eye contact. The more he looked at her face the more he saw Viv. He could have sworn it was her. When he tried to approach, she went in the opposite direction. He tried to get her to stop but she wouldn't. He'd chase her to the outskirts of the Internment Zone before she vanished. He began to second guess himself if he had really seen a woman that looked too eerily similar to Viv.
There's no way that woman could have been Viv, right? Viv is still on the island, or at least he thinks. Any Marleyan ship sent to the island in the past three years were never seen again. That meant one thing, the Scout Regiment had started their expeditions outside the walls again after sealing Wall Maria. Marley eventually stopped sending ships and it was concluded that the residents of Paradis had taken control of the port.
"Mr. Braun!" Reiner was snapped from his thoughts. Falco had ran up to him.
"There you are. Where did you go?" Gabi confronted Falco.
"To see a friend. Mr. Braun, can you come follow me?" Reiner raised a brow at the Warrior Candidate.
"Falco, I don't think we have the time." Reiner argued.
"Hm, we still have a good while before the show starts. You should be fine." Zeke countered. He looked at his watch on his wrist.
"Please, Mr. Braun!" Falco begged him.
Reiner gave a sigh, "Alright. Where are we going?" He asked.
"Follow me, it's this way." Falco ran ahead with Reiner following behind him. Reiner followed Falco down a set of stairs. He was concerned why Falco was bringing him down here.
They came to a door that Falco opened, "Hey, I brought him. He actually came." Reiner stepped through the doorframe. He saw a man with long brown hair with one leg and bandages around his left eye.
"Hey…it's been a while…Reiner." Reiner's eyes widened as the man spoke and lifted his head. Eren Jaeger.
"Eren…" Reiner muttered in shock.
Vivien's P.O.V
I laid low on the roof that overlooked the outdoor theater. The sun had gone down and the full moon was reaching its apex. I wore my complete black uniform with the Anti-Personnel and traditional ODM Gear strapped to me. The traditional green Scouts cloak draped over me. The hood over my head to cover my face. My eyes glanced at the rooftop across from me. Marleyan soldiers were positioned on the roof with weapons and a radio.
My eyes then glanced out to the harbor. The Marleyan Navy should all be gathered up in one spot now. Zeke's done his job in being a double agent. They're positioned exactly like he said they would. The Scouts should be arriving any minute now. They won't engage until Eren gives the signal. Yelena should be fulfilling her role now. Get the other Titan Warriors out of the way.
Myself and Captain Levi would not engage until the Titans showed themselves. Mikasa isn't supposed to either but something tells me she's going to be backing up Eren against the Warhammer anyway.
The music began to start as the lights dimmed on the stage. Now we just have to wait. Willy Tybur took center stage as he began his performance. I rolled my eyes as he began talking the same old brainwashed speech I've heard since stepping foot in this country. The Marleyans really do enjoy creating false heroes and put themselves center stage. King Karl Fritz wasn't defeated and forced to retreat to the island. He did it on his own free will because he wanted peace. Then erected the walls and wiped our peoples memories to make us think we were the only humans left. The King was a selfish fool and didn't care about his own people in the end. He then ordered the persecution and massacred the families that were immune to the Founding Titan's powers. The man wins no favors from his own people now over a hundred years later. The people of Paradis today view King Karl Fritz as a true devil.
"This is the story that is told, but it is not the truth." My brows furrowed at Willy's words. I became shocked as Willy began to speak the actual truth of Karl Fritz. So he does know the actual history. The Tybur family is one of the few Eldians that know their true history? Willy continued his speech and began talking about the current day. Mentioning how the peace that Karl Fritz established is in jeopardy.
"The King has been deposed. The Founding Titan, stolen. The thief is an enemy to every man, woman, and child outside of his island! An enemy of peace. His name: Eren Jaeger!" That's where you're wrong, Willy. Karl Fritz might have accepted the day that Marley would attack and break through the walls. Wanting his people to die, but that was over a century ago. Why should he be allowed to die a peaceful death yet his people die in the jaws of the Titans? Very few people in the walls are even close to the age Karl Fritz was when he passed. They're all already dead, because of the Titans, and because of the Marleyans. Your people have snuffed out generations and wiped out complete family trees. The people in the walls today have done nothing wrong to the Marleyans of today. It's a grudge, it's revenge, it's a ruthless unending cycle of hatred.
"If the Colossi of Paradis are ordered to walk the Rumbling will be felt across the earth and death will follow." I furrowed my brows at this information. He's talking about the Wall Titans.
"Until now only the royal family has been able to wield the Founding Titan. King Fritz's vow has kept his descendants from using it. But this Eren Jaeger has found a way to use the Founding power without having royal blood. Which means he can begin the Rumbling at any moment. Once the walls of Paradis begin to walk there can be nothing that we can do. Except flee in vain from the sound of earth shaking steps that will herald our doom. These monsters will crush every city, trample every tree and flower, they will literally flatten our world." I gave a hard stare to Willy down below. This was mentioned years ago during a meeting of the military officers within the walls. We all agreed that we wouldn't use Eren's powers like that. We've seen first hand the destruction Titans can do. All we want is to be free but Marley and apparently the rest of the world don't want that. They want us gone and the Founding Titans power for themselves. It's a selfish goal in the end. The Eldians are wiped out and Marley takes the power all for themselves and repeats history? That's not happening. The Rumbling we want to do is a smaller scale. Just enough to keep other nations away from our borders until we caught up. But still…Eren never did answer us when we asked him if he was for the plan. It makes me wonder to be honest. For now, we have no choice but to trust Eren.
Crash!
A loud piercing roar echoed in the air as Eren's Attack Titan emerged. Rubble flew in every direction, people screaming in panic, and Willy Tybur devoured by Eren.
"I hope this is worth it for you, Eren. You're really testing the trust we have in you. Killing all these people? What makes us better than the ones that started this all now?" I muttered to myself. The people began to scramble around in a panic and screaming hysteria. I stood up from my spot on the roof. I pulled down my hood to reveal my short blonde hair. My Scouts cloak gently flapped in the wind.
Eren turned his body facing the panicking crowd. One eye was glowing bright green while the other was glossed over. Eren spotted me on the roof. We stared for a second before he changed his focus on the Marleyan high ranking officers.
I looked at Eren in disdain as I watched him slaughter countless people. In the back of my mind, I couldn't help but wonder. Is this how you felt that day? The disgust towards yourself because of the heinous actions that caused several people to die? Is this how you felt when you breached the wall, Reiner? Because that's exactly how I feel about right now. I'm beyond disgusted with myself. All of this death…when will it end?
A bright yellow light shined as lightning struck and thunder clapped. I put my arm up to protect my eyes from the light. The wind picked up and blew my cloak more. I watched as a Titan began to form in front of me. This must be the Warhammer Titan. Eren's plan worked, he drew it out.
Eren let out a roar and punched the Warhammer Titan before it was done fully forming. Eren let out cries each time he punched the Warhammer with his hardened fists. I need to get out of the way before I get caught up in between two Titans fighting. I need to stay out of sight anyway while I wait for the other Titans to arrive.
I looked up at the water tower adjacent to me. That should be high enough. I pulled out the handle for the Anti-Personnel and pulled the trigger. The hook shot out and latched onto the side of the water tower. I pressed the second trigger with my middle finger and launched up to the structure.
As my feet landed on top of the water tower. A large spike of hardened Titan material rose up from the ground. I frowned seeing Eren hanging from it. Completely impaled through the chest. So that's the power of the Warhammer.
The Warhammer created a large sledge hammer with its hardening. It swung at Eren but he managed to use his own hardening to break what was holding him. He landed on spikes below and Anti-Titan artillery began to fire onto Eren.
My eyes narrowed at the cannons firing them. The Scouts aren't here yet and Eren needs backup. I quickly holstered the Anti-Personnel handels and swapped to my ODM handles instead. I clicked the blades into place and unsheathed both parry blades. I don't have any Thunder Spears on hand so I'll have to make do with blades.
My ears picked up on the sound of ODM Gear behind me. I heard and felt a thud as someone landed next to me. I didn't tear my gaze away from the Titans in front of me.
"About time you guys got here." I stated.
"It took a little longer than expected for the airship to get here. I went ahead, the others will be arriving soon." I heard Mikasa's voice come from next to me.
A chuckle passed my lips, "Not surprised that you went ahead." I watched as the Warhammer Titan knocked off Eren's head and hands. Steam erupted from the nape as Eren's human body was revealed.
"Usurper, Eren Jaeger, before you die you may utter your final words." The Warhammer Titan spoke. So it can talk like the Beast?
"It's time, Mikasa." Eren ordered. I glanced at Mikasa as she took off running. She dropped down from above and shot towards Eren without hesitation.
"Not when it comes to him." I muttered as I watched her leave.
She fired all six of her Thunder Spears onto the Warhammer's nape and pulled the pins. The Thunder Spears blew up and I heard more ODM Gear start to surround the entire area. The Scouts have finally arrived.
More explosions sounded and the Anti-Titan cannons were taken out. Gun fire filled the air as the Anti-Personnel semi-automatic guns were shot. After a month of planning, it's begun. The Raid of Liberio is underway.