The Cost for Freedom ➶ ｡˚ [ Attack on Titan ]

Betrayal

Kira kept close to Porco's side as he made his presence known to the Commander. Each Official took their turn to celebrate this achievement and all Kira did was sit and watch. There was nothing else for her to add on – she was already spoken for. So, she remained listening as she distracted herself with an empty thought.

"In a couple of years, Kira, this will be you." A Marleyan Official to Kira's right interrupted, snapping the girl from her continuous daze. "Exciting, isn't it?"

"Oh... Yes, very." She stammered as she agreed with him, grinning to cover up her distaste. "I hope to become a great asset like Porco."

"Hearing flattery from you is disturbing..." Porco muttered, which he believed Kira could only hear, but it was somewhat audible to the surrounding Military Officials. Once understanding what the boy had said, Kira's face crumpled in disdain, eyeing the boy to her left as she nudged him in the arm.

"Hey." She mildly retaliated, which earned a faint laugh from those around.

As they continued to congratulate him on the successful inheritance of the Jaw Titan, Kira's mind was soon to be preoccupied on what might be happening on Paradis Island at that moment.

Her thoughts were split between their mission and how the Island was going to defend themselves. Could the Survey Corps really defeat three of the most powerful Titans Marley possessed? That was the first of her concerns. Even if she was part of the Marleyan Military, her home was on that island, and knowing that she was part of the plot to destroy it was unsettling to her.

What side was she exactly on?

But Zeke made it clear the first time they met: she needed to differentiate between the Kira Marley wanted her to be, and who she really was.

• • • • •

"Too slow! Pick up the pace!"

Walking in tandem with Magath, Kira, Colt and Porco observed the four new Warrior Candidates who were running laps around the field. Demand after demand, Koslow, a Marleyan Officer, had been drilling the four as they desperately ran with equipment heavier than their own body weight. 'Koslow is always so harsh...' Kira thought, showing no envy for the four children she watched running. Turning to her left, she made eye contact with Colt, who was just as thankful to miss out on Koslow's hellish training. After a knowing look between the two, the eldest of the Grice brothers paid close attention to his brother who was falling behind. 'C'mon Falco... Push through!' He thought, clasping his hands together as he mentally cheered him on.

"Are these four from the latest examination?" Kira questioned, watching the candidates pace themselves through each bend.

"Yep." Magath stated, "Two will be chosen for the Colossal and Armoured. And if they reclaim the Female Titan, then three will be chosen."

"I see."

Kira kept a close eye on each cadet, evaluating their stamina as the laps decreased down to two. While this was the first time she had seen the four cadets, and she spent most of the time trying to figure out who's who from Koslow's reprimands, she could see who was going to inherit what – mostly based on feeling.

From what Colt had told her, his younger brother was enlisting as well. She spotted the young blonde boy pant heavily as he desperately wanted the exercise to end. Which was vastly contrasted by the girl leading the pack. Through the helmet, she saw the girl's dark brown hair with eyes of determination she had seen before. Or rather, eyes of fury that blended with her memory of the Paradis Island Operation. While it was reminiscent of the boy she met on that island – so headstrong and frustrated about being unable to transform – she couldn't help but notice her unwavering resolve for a completely contrasting reason.